Moments in Between

by DalishEssence

You know, I never once resented my best friend and that's saying a lot, considering he's the Crown Prince of Cordonia. That changed the night Camilla Myers walked into our lives and changed them forever. She was supposed to be one of his suitors. She turned out to be everything I'd never known I wanted. And for the first time... I resented my best friend. (Royal Romance Drake POV)

39. Chapter 39

The Big Day

The way back to the palace had been difficult, what with the horses having a bit of trouble finding their footing in the dark. But at that moment, nothing else seemed to matter beside the fact that we were finally married.

After settling the horses back in their stalls, Myers and I raced through the halls of the palace, running hand in hand, giggling like a couple of giddy teenagers. We couldn't keep our hands off each other, and when we finally reached her room, I was afraid we'd woken half the palace. But then, Myers pulled me in for a kiss and those worries vanished.

Before she could open her door, I picked her up in my arms and carried her across the threshold. She laughed excitedly, kissing all over my face tenderly. After I set her down, we immediately began clawing at the other's clothes, all while she pushed me backwards to her bed.

Then suddenly, she pulled back.

"Wait!" Myers suddenly pushed me back onto the bed, before reaching for something in her dresser and running into the bathroom with no other explanation.

"Uh… Myers?"

"ONE SECOND!"

"Okay…"

Several minutes passed and when Myers finally came out of the bathroom…

My jaw dropped.

She cleared her throat, an impish gleam in her eye. "I was saving this for tomorrow…"

I swallowed, my mouth going dry as I took her in.

Her long hair was loose and wind tousled into a sexy black mane that fell around her shoulders and down her back. She was wearing a sheer robe, open just enough to show some cleavage, but underneath... Underneath it, she wore a beautiful white lace bra with intricate details, a garter that hugged her waist and white lace panties.

"What do you think, husband?" She asked, fixing those brown eyes on mine.

"You…" I opened and closed my mouth, speechless. "Oh, god. Where the hell have you been hiding that?"

"It's my trousseau." She spinned ever so slowly.

"Damn. Myers. You look..."

My heart hammered in my chest as Myers lifted her arms and scooped all her hair up with a sigh, before letting it fall down her back.

I stood and crossed the room over to her in three long strides. Wrapped an arm around her waist. "I want you. Now."

Her eyes gleamed with devilish excitement, as she pressed her hands on my chest, smiling coyly. "You want me? But, Drake, I haven't even properly modeled it for you yet…"

"That can wait."

"But how will you be able to truly appreciate it?"

"I've appreciated it enough."

Myers ran her finger down my chest… my abs… my thigh.

"You're killing me, Myers."

Before she could even utter another word, I crashed my lips to hers. Within a second, the robe was nothing but a puddle of material around our feet. Myers giggled against my mouth before slowly pushing me backwards, never breaking the kiss. When my knees hit the mattress, I turned us around and we tumbled onto the bed together. I crawled over her, kissing her stomach, her chest, her neck, her jaw until finally reaching her lips.

I kissed her deeply, again and again and again. It was never enough, never going to be enough.

She was like oxygen to a drowning man.

She was like the sun that lit up my world.

She was my wife, my family, my world.

---

Myers cuddled into me with a contented sigh. She rested her hand on my shoulder and draped an arm over my chest. "Hello, husband."

"Hello, wife." I chuckled, absently caressing her head.

Myers laughed. "I'm never going to get tired of hearing that."

"Me neither." I looked down at her and pressed a kiss to her forehead.

"I didn't think it was possible to be this happy." She began. "I feel like I'm about to burst! My cheeks hurt from smiling so much."

I laughed at that. "At least your cheeks are more used to it than mine. Imagine being the guy that smiles once a year, suddenly smiling 24/7."

Myers laughed deeply, "Yeah, you're right. I almost feel sorry for you."

"You should. This is all your fault, Myers."

"I'll happily take the blame." She kissed my cheek. "I'm so happy you're happy. And I'm so happy we did this. I'm so happy! It felt so right for us. Everything about tonight was perfect."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah. Tomorrow is about Liam and Cordonia and stopping Anton... But tonight was just for us." She beamed at me.

I was about to respond when both our phones vibrated. It was text on our group chat.

"It's the big day tomorrow 💍

Anyone else excited to kick Anton's butt?" Maxwell had written.

Myers laughed, shaking her head slightly.

"Looking forward to some payback," I wrote.

"You guys, this is serious

Milla's probably worried sick," Hana wrote.

"Nope, Milla's happy, in love, giddy, completely satisfied…" Myers grinned at me.

"A bride has enough to worry about on her wedding day, let alone an attack." Hana finished.

"Yeah, but Hana doesn't know that…" I told her.

"I wish I could tell her, so that she wouldn't worry about me so much…"

"I'll, uh… apologize."

I quickly typed, "Aw jeez when you put it like that…"

"That's your apology?" Myers teased.

Maxwell quickly typed, "I'm trying to be optimistic

Envision the best case scenario with me

Look at it

Loooooookk 👀

It's beautiful"

Myers laughed at that.

Hana apparently didn't find it that funny. "😑"

"😊" Maxwell replied.

"Camilla, I promise that everyone will be safe tomorrow." Liam wrote. I could almost hear his sigh.

"Myers, you should probably say something. They're really worried about you."

She sighed. "You're right, you're right."

Myers thought about it for a minute, before typing, "I just want everything to run smoothly."

"As do we all," Liam replied immediately.

"Yeah we got dis

Gonna turn the cathedral into a fortress of love 🏰" Maxwell wrote.

"Please don't worry too much," Hana said sweetly.

"We've got your back, Myers

💪" I added.

"Seriously? The bicep emoji?" Myers teased.

I teasingly flexed my bicep. "You know you love it."

That caused her to laugh, and to throw herself on top of me, kissing me deeply. "I love you."

She pulled herself off me and picked up her phone.

"Thanks, everyone

But I'm feeling pretty good

Please don't worry about me, Hana, I'm fine 💜 💚

See you all tomorrow 💍👰 🏰"

"Rest well. You deserve it," Liam wrote.

"💤" Maxwell wrote.

Myers threw her phone aside, and then plucked mine from my hands and threw that aside again. "We're not getting any sleep tonight, but I'm sure we'll be just as relaxed and well-rested for tomorrow." She straddled me with a devilish grin. "It is our wedding night after all."

"I don't know. I don't wanna wear you out for tomorrow…" I ran a finger down her chest to her and lower.

"Just try, Drake. I dare you." She leaned down to whisper in my ear.

In a matter of seconds, I had her underneath me, pinning her hands over her head.

Just like her, I could never back down from a good dare.

---

I woke up the next morning with a sense of peace and happiness, although that was probably due to the woman in bed next to me. I pressed a kiss to her bare shoulder, and she hummed happily, still asleep.

"Myers," I murmured softly.

"Hmm…?"

"I should probably go…"

"No…" She purred, stretching luxuriously and draping her leg over mine.

"Yes… The guys have a surprise planned for you, and I'm not supposed to be here, remember?"

She opened one eye at that. "A surprise? What kind of surprise?"

"If I tell you, it's not a surprise anymore, Myers."

"I just wanna know if it's worth it for me to let my beautiful, gorgeous, sexy husband leave this bed…" She ran her hand over my chest. "But I've decided it's probably not. You're staying put, and if anyone has a problem with that, they can take it up with me."

"And the claws come out..." I chuckled.

"For you? Always." She snuggled happíly back into me and closed her eyes. Within minutes, she was asleep again.

Soon, I fell asleep with her.

Who knows how much later, we were both woken up with a knock on the door. It started out as a soft knock, before getting more and more insistent as the minutes passed.

Myers groaned. "Ugh!"

"Rise and shine, little blossom!" Maxwell yelled from outside.

"Coming…" Myers yelled half-heartedly.

We both got up, and got dressed. Myers went to answer the door, and all of our friends and her friends were there.

"Ah! What are you all doing here?" Myers asked.

"Celebrating the big day, of course!" Maxwell told her. "We're not going to let a little impending doom stop us from memorializing Wedding Day 2K18!"

"We figured it'd help take your mind off things." I wrapped my arms around her waist from behind and pressed a kiss to her cheek.

Hana chuckled. "And keep your special day special!"

Myers blinked, rubbing sleep from her eyes. "Whoa, slow down everyone. There's like 15 of you in my doorway."

"Sorry! We're just so excited!" Hana squealed.

"Despite the life threatening danger, it's still your wedding!" Hailey also squealed.

"That danger makes it all the more exciting, though." Mari Jo added. "No offense." She said sheepishly.

Liam stepped forward. "Allow me to explain. We wanted to be the first to see you this morning. I'm sure Madeleine and Gladys have scheduled your afternoon to the second, but we thought we might spirit you away before then. We were thinking a private brunch, then a trip to the spa."

"You have to eat, after all. And manicures are mandatory." Maxwell added.

Hailey shot Myers her best pair of puppy eyes. "Please, Milla? Don't deprive us plebes of the chance to visit a private royal spa?"

"And a royal brunch from a four-star chef?" Daniel added.

"Everyone could use some fun and relaxation before the wedding." Kiara said.

Myers rolled her eyes playfully. "Why are you guys trying to convince me? Do you really think I'd answer anything but yes? That I'd say 'you know what, no. I'm gonna pass on a spa day with my closest friends'?"

They all laughed.

"Good." Olivia nodded. "I look forward to filling our morning preparations with a little pampering."

"Like… pamperations!" Penelope shouted excitedly.

Olivia glared at her. "Sure."

"Yay! Pamperations!" Myers cheered, and I didn't know if she was serious or if she just wanted to annoy Olivia.

The Ice Queen rolled her eyes, but I didn't miss the way the corners of her lips twitched.

"Anyway, I can't think of a better way to get ready for today than with all of you." Myers grinned at all of them warmly.

"Yay!" Hana, Maxwell, Hailey and Daniel cheered.

"Let us get ready, and we'll meet you downstairs in a bit." Myers said.

"Hey, didn't you two hear you're not supposed to spend the night before the wedding together?" Jaime asked, narrowing his eyes at us.

Myers chuckled. "Well, we're not really the traditional type." She shot me and Maxwell a knowing look.

Maxwell winked back.

"Fine. But don't take too long or we'll eat your food." Jaime pointed a stern finger at both of us. "You've been warned."

Myers rolled her eyes. "You wouldn't dare."

"Oh, wouldn't I? I'm a marine. I have a big appetite."

Myers shook her head, grinning.

"See you soon, kid. Drake."

"See ya!"

"Don't keep us waiting!"

"Hurry!"

"See you in a bit!"

"See ya, love ya, bye!" Myers yelled, closing her door. She turned to me, wrapping her arms around my neck. "Fancy a shower, husband dear? I'll be good, I promise."

I laughed, taken back to those days we were still a secret. She'd always say that… and she'd always break that promise.

"Sure."

Myers pouted. "Aww, no 'yes, dear wife, love of my life, light of my world'?"

I tightened my arms around her, rolling my eyes playfully. "Yes, I will shower with my beautiful wife, the love of my life and the light of my world."

"Yay!" She pressed a soft kiss to my lips.

"The things I do for you, Myers."

"Walker." She said, her eyes suddenly serious. "As of yesterday, I'm Camilla Walker."

My jaw dropped slightly, and she playfully closed it. "What?"

Myers shrugged. "You can still call me Myers if you want, as a pet name of sorts. I actually love it that you called me by my last name, especially after you told me about why you started doing it. Actually, it'd kind of feel weird if you called me anything but Myers at this point... But my name's Walker now. Camilla Walker. Has a nice ring to it, don't you think?"

"You're… taking my name?"

"I took your name. Last night."

I… wow.

I had no words.

"Camilla Walker." I sounded it out. "Walker."

Myers nodded. "I love it." She smiled.

I tucked a strand of her hair behind her ear. "Yeah… me too."

"Now, come on. Let's go shower before Jaime eats our food." Myers took my hand and pulled me into the shower.

Things began to heat up a bit, until Myers' stomach rumbled. We laughed and decided to just stick to showering. After getting dressed quickly, we made our way to the dining room hand in hand.

On the hallway, we bumped into Gladys, who was running around the halls with a controlled, yet slightly stressed out look in her eyes. "Morning, Your Grace, Drake!"

"Um, morning, Gladys!" Myers chuckled.

"Everything is coming along great, Your Grace, not to worry!" She bowed slightly, before moving to walk away.

"Gladys, wait!" I asked. I turned back to Myers. "Myers, I need to talk to Gladys real quick."

"Okay! Well, I'm starving so…"

"Yeah, no, go ahead. I'll be right there." I nodded.

Myers shot me a grin, before walking away.

"Yes, Drake?" Gladys asked.

"Listen, I know you're probably really busy, but I was wondering if you could do me a favor." I asked her.

"Of course, Drake. What do you need?"

"I kinda have a surprise for Myers, and I was wondering if you could help me get it to our honeymoon suite?"

"Sure, Drake. What is it? I could send a messenger over to deliver it to the hotel."

"Great. It's ah… It's a letter." I admitted sheepishly.

Gladys' expression softened. "Of course, Drake. Why don't you go get it for me, and I'll call the messenger and the hotel."

"Great. Thanks so much, Gladys, seriously." I nodded gratefully.

"Come, I'll walk with you to retrieve it."

Gladys led me purposely to my room, already on the phone. She arranged for a messenger to come pick it up and take it to the hotel, and she was on the phone with the concierge when I stepped inside my room. I got the letter quickly from my bedside table, placed it inside an envelope I had lying around, and sealed it shut. When I stepped back outside, Gladys was just hanging up her phone.

She turned back to me with a smile, as I handed her the envelope. "Alright, Drake, everything's set. The hotel staff will place the letter on a bedside table, along with a bouquet of roses."

I chuckled. This woman knew what we needed before we did. "Thanks. The roses were a nice touch."

Gladys also chuckled. "Thank you. Now, I don't want to keep you. You have the Bridal Brunch now, and the spa appointment, and I have to get this to the messenger, then go oversee the ballroom set-up, the bridal staging area set-up, call the hair and makeup artists, then the decorations at the cathedral…"

"Wow… good luck, Gladys. And… thanks."

"You're welcome. Goodbye, Drake! I shall see you after the ceremony!" With that, she turned on her heel and walked away purposely.

I made my way towards Liam's private dining room. When I got there, Myers was waiting for me outside.

"Hey, hubby. Everything okay?" She said with a smile.

"Everything's fine."

"Good, then let's get inside already. I'm starving." Myers took my hand, and we stepped inside.

All of our friends were there, and my sister and Myers' parents as well.

"Hey!"

"There you are!"

"The bride and groom to be!"

"Finally!"

"Wow, that was quicker than I thought." Jacob teased.

"Hi, honey! Oh you look so beautiful!" Wendy greeted us both with a hug and a kiss on the cheek.

"Drake." Victor shook my hand warmly, before hugging Myers.

"Hi, son." My mom moved to hug me. "How're you feeling?"

"I'm feeling good. Happy."

"That's good to hear." Mom turned to Myers. "And there she is, my future daughter in law. How're you doing, sweetie?"

Myers laughed. "I'm walking on air, Bianca."

"Come, sit, eat! We have a feast waiting for us!" Armando hugged me warmly, clapping my back.

He then moved to hug Myers, pressing a quick kiss on her cheek. Myers returned the hug, still somewhat awkwardly, but much warmer.

"Darling, you look beautiful. You both do." Julia gave us both a kiss on the cheek. "My future son-in-law looks very handsome."

I cleared my throat. "Um, thank you."

We all moved to take our seats at the table.

"Would you like something to drink, Camilla?" Liam asked, sliding a seat back for her.

Myers sat and nodded at him gratefully. "Some green tea, please. I need my daily dose of caffeine and antioxidants to be awake and alert today." She smiled at me. "I would hate to miss a single moment."

"Ooh, make that two!" Hana asked.

"Three, please." Julia added.

"Four." Mari Jo smiled widely.

Liam chuckled. "I'll make a pot. I think everyone wants to be fully present today."

"Um… no offense, Liam, Your um Majesty…" Hailey began. "But do you know how to make tea?"

Liam laughed. "Yes, yes I do. But I understand why you would have hesitations. No offense taken."

"Personal service from the king, huh? I do feel special." Myers chuckled.

"As you should, on your wedding day." Liam smiled at her tenderly, a hint of sadness in his eyes. He blinked and it faded.

"Hear, hear!" Armando said.

I walked with Liam through a service entrance, and began preparing Myers a plate of a typical Cordonian breakfast. I scooped up some creamy mashed potatoes, and topped them off with thick-cut bacon. Then, I made a plate for myself.

"How are you feeling, Drake?" Liam asked softly.

"I'm…" Already married? Happier than I've ever been? So ecstatic that I feel like my chest is gonna burst? "I'm okay. You?"

He avoided the question. "Just 'okay'?"

"I just meant… I'm good. Happy. Excited."

"That's good. I'm very happy for you. Both of you."

I bit back a sigh. "Thanks."

"Tea's done. Are you ready?"

"Ready." I took both plates and we made our way back to the dining room together.

Conversation was already flowing, as servers rushed around with warm plates of food, or pitchers of fruit water or pots of coffee.

I set the plate in front of Myers, and sat down next to her. Liam poured her a warm cup of tea, and she shot him a grateful smile. I watched as she scooped a forkful of mashed potatoes and bacon, and closed her eyes as she ate.

"Mmmmmm! Wow, this is amazing!" Myers grinned.

Choruses of agreements floated from the table, especially from Myers' friends and family.

"It's a traditional Cordonian wedding day meal." I told her.

"Bacon is a Cordonian wedding day meal?" Karen asked.

Olivia nodded. "Cured meats represent bounty, and consuming it on your wedding day is meant to bless the union."

"Cordonia knows how to do breakfast." Jacob nodded appreciatively.

"F that, Cordonia knows how to do weddings." Jaime exclaimed. "Hey babe, can we have this when we renew our vows?"

Karen laughed, seeming much more comfortable than I'd ever seen her. "If you can wait 20 more years, and if your cholesterol then allows it, sure!"

"I never knew eating one of the best breakfast foods could be so romantic." Myers said.

"I did." I told her.

Myers rolled her eyes at me playfully, but pressed a kiss to my cheek. "Of course you did." She took a sip of her tea and hummed happily. "Mmmm, perfection."

"So, Milla, what is the one thing you're most excited for today?" Hana asked.

"Ten bucks she says the toasts." Jaime grinned at her.

Myers opened her mouth to respond, but Hailey beat her to it. "You're on. I'm betting on the vows." She winked at Myers. "Milla's way too much of a romantic to not be looking forward to the vows."

"But the writer in her loves the toasts." Karen argued.

"Exactly." Jaime squeezed his wife's hand.

"But wouldn't the romantic in her be most excited to oh, I don't know… marry the love of her life?" Daniel shot them all down.

"How about you kids let Milla actually answer the question." Wendy chided them playfully.

All eyes turned to Myers.

She grinned. "I'm excited for all those things, sure. You all owe each other ten bucks."

All of her friends groaned.

"At Castelsarreilan we have a tradition of giving marriage advice the morning of a wedding." Kiara commented.

"As one of the few married people here, my advice is to never allow your parents to secretly sign you over to be married as a sacrificial pawn in a political game of royal lineage." Olivia told us.

There was a moment of uncomfortable silence at the table.

"Good… advice…?" Myers said.

Wendy sighed. "Honey, I'm so sorry that happened to you. Your parents should have known better than to do that to you. They had no right to do that to you. You deserve to marry for love, and you deserve all the love in the world. But you're one tough cookie and I'm sure you'll find a way to get out of this just fine." She smiled at Olivia tenderly… motherly.

Olivia actually looked shocked. She opened her mouth to respond, but for a moment nothing came out. "T-Thank you."

"Of course, sugar. Don't you ever forget it." Wendy nodded at her. "Now, back to the wedding advice?"

Just like that, the tension was broken.

Myers chuckled. "Right… Well, I want to hear all the other married couples here. What are all of your words of wisdom?"

Jaime looked at Karen tenderly. "If I had to say one thing, it would be to remember the little moments and don't sweat the small stuff. Time's really precious, but people tend to take it for granted. That's why they waste it. But if you use it to make good memories, those memories are going to be what carries you through the tougher times. The times you spent apart, or whatever other strains time places on your marriage… Because there will be strains no matter how much you love each other."

Karen nodded. "In our case, when Jaime was on tour, we couldn't talk everyday, we couldn't tell each other how our days had been or wish each other good night. But when he's here, we make sure to make the most of our time together. We try not to fight about the little things, because we can't afford to spend what little time we have together fighting."

Myers nodded. "Thanks, guys."

Julia cleared her throat, a silent question in her eyes. Myers tensed for a brief moment, and I could see the hesitation in her eyes… but in the end, she nodded.

"I would like to add… don't be afraid to show affection." Julia's eyes darted to Victor, who looked away. "I… understand that it might be difficult for some people to show their affections so easily. Not everyone wears their heart on their sleeve. But even if it's hard, try. A kiss, a touch, a hug… Something as simple as cuddling each other when watching tv."

"But, also, do not underestimate or look down on other displays of affection." Armando looked at Julia adoringly. "Some things as simple as waiting for your spouse with a cup of warm tea in the mornings before they wake, or remembering how they take their coffee. Waiting for them with a treat or a nice dinner after a hard day… Those are all equally valid displays of affection."

Myers took my hand and laced our fingers together, nodding.

"Thank you." I told them.

They both nodded.

"Dad? Wendy?" Myers asked.

"Communication, communication, communication." Wendy said. She narrowed her eyes at Myers. "You can't be afraid to open up to your husband. And he can't be afraid to open up to you. Something's bothering you? Tell them. Something made you angry? Tell them. You need help? Ask them. You're stressed? Scared? Nervous? You tell them."

"You can't expect the other to read your mind." Victor added. "I know that books or movies make it seem so romantic when person A knows exactly what person B is thinking before person B even opens their mouth. But that's not how it works, kids. Neither of you are mind readers. You can't be afraid of talking to each other or assume the other knows what you're going through."

I nodded, taking all their advice in and trying to commit it to memory.

Myers cleared her throat. "Wow… Thank you. All of you." She looked around the table. "Anyone else? The floor's open."

Savannah cleared her throat. "I…" She shot me and Mom a hesitant look. "I know our dad can't be here today…"

Everyone seemed to sober up, and I heard several awws and ohs. Myers' hand immediately tightened around mine. I squeezed right back.

"But if he were, I know he'd tell you both to appreciate the other, and appreciate the little everyday things." Savannah chuckled, her eyes shimmering with tears. "I remember Dad would get home, and he'd find Mom cooking in the kitchen or something, and he'd just scoop her up and they'd start dancing right there in the kitchen, with no music on."

I remember that too…

Mom chuckled tearfully.

"Or sometimes, he would be sitting down at the dinner table, or helping mom wash the dishes, and he would look at her and say 'I love you' out of the blue, just because he felt it." Savannah wiped a tear from her eye.

"I remember the way you looked at each other like there was no one else in the world." Liam smiled kindly at my mom.

"That's right." I nodded, taking Savannah's hand.

"Thank you, Savannah." Myers stood and moved to hug my sister. "I wish I could've met your dad…"

Savannah laughed, wiping away a couple tears that had managed to spill over. "He would've loved you, Milla. Without a doubt."

"Oh, definitely. Jackson would've gotten a kick out of seeing Drake's loopy smile when you're around." Mom added.

Myers laughed, scooting closer to me to rest her head on my shoulder. I wrapped my arm around her shoulders.

"My advice for you kids is to not be afraid to think outside the box and to not do things the traditional way." Mom told us. "With Jackson… since his work schedule depended on Constantine's schedule, we couldn't always spend holidays, or anniversaries, or birthdays together. So we made up our own holidays or our own traditions to make up for it. We'd celebrate Walker Christmas on the 26th, and New Year's for us was January 2nd. Instead of birthday parties, Drake wanted to go camping for the weekend. My point is that the traditions we made on our own turned out to be so much more special than the actual holiday we were supposed to be celebrating."

"That's true." Savannah nodded.

Myers nodded. "I'll definitely remember that. Thank you, Bianca." She shot me a knowing look, as we'd both already taken that advice before it had even been given.

Kiara cleared her throat. "If I may, this is something I've learned from my parents."

Myers' gaze softened. "Your parents are so in love."

Kiara grinned. "Oui, they are. I think what makes their marriage so rich is that they delight in their differences, rather than seeing them as obstacles. They each appreciate the other's insights and perspective. It makes both of them stronger."

"Aww that's really sweet!" Hana said, smiling at Kiara.

"It is. It sounds like your parents set a good example." Myers agreed.

"Yeah, no wonder you turned out like this." Jacob said.

Kiara raised an eyebrow. "Oh? Like what exactly?"

"So smart, confident, determined." Jacob flashed her a grin.

Kiara blushed. "Merci, Jacob."

"If you two are done flirting, I'd also like to say something." Mari Jo spoke up, shooting Kiara and Jacob a teasing grin.

"Go ahead. Please." I told her.

"I gave this same advice to Jaime, when he got married. He was younger than you two but I still think it applies. I think… it's in our nature as human beings to change, to grow and evolve. But many people hold themselves or each other back, because they're afraid of change. My advice is don't forget that change is a good thing. Don't hold each other back. Grow with each other. Evolve with each other. And support each other through that process." Mari Jo told us.

"Wow…" Myers said, almost entranced.

"Wow, indeed! Honey, that was… incredibly insightful for someone so young!" Wendy beamed at her.

Maxwell grinned at Mari Jo. "Mari Jo is a wise free spirit."

"That she is." Myers agreed, looking between the both of them gleefully. "That she is."

Soon, we had all finished eating, and servers began to clear away the empty plates.

"That meal was amazing!" Penelope said.

"Step one, consume food…" Maxwell said, shooting some finger guns at me.

"Check." I said.

"And step two is…?" Myers asked.

"Spa time!" Hana yelled.

---

Ten minutes later, they were all sitting down in comfy spa chairs.

"We'd like mani-pedis, please!" Hana told the spa attendants.

"Soo we're… uh, we're all doing this?" I asked.

"I thought it would be just the girls…" Jaime stood beside me, rubbing the back of his neck awkwardly.

"Right…" Myers' dad cleared his throat. "I thought the same..."

Maxwell nodded. "Relax and prepare to be transported into absolute bliss."

"I don't need to be transported anywhere. I'm fine just sitting here, really, keeping you all company." I said.

"Don't tell me you guys are afraid of a little moisturizer and a nail file?" Myers teased.

"Drake, I'm not surprised," Olivia shot me a catty smirk, before looking at Jaime. "But you. You call yourself a marine?"

I rolled my eyes. "That isn't what I… I mean, I'm not… You know what, just forget it."

I sat down in the empty seat next to Myers, dipping my feet into the tiny foot hot tub. It actually felt… nice. An attendant sat in a small stool next to me with a tray of nail clippers and files next to her.

"Good choice." Myers winked at me.

The attendant took my hand and began cleaning underneath my nails.

"Come on, James…" Karen patted the seat next to her, grinning at her husband.

He sighed. "The things I do for you…"

"Victor, get your butt in that chair." Wendy ordered. "It's time you got all that grease out from underneath your nails. It's for your daughter's wedding."

"But-"

"Butt. Chair. Now." Wendy narrowed her eyes.

Victor laughed, and sat down shaking his head.

"Good. I was gonna take a swing at you if you came out with something like 'Oh I'm too much of a manly man to get a pedicure'." Mari Jo told us, deepening her voice to mimic ours.

"And that's saying something, given how this one doesn't like violence." Jacob chuckled.

"You wouldn't hit an old man, would you?" Victor asked her.

Mari Jo thought about it. "No, but I reserve the right to respond with 'okay, boomer' to anything you say."

Victor laughed.

"It's just that gender stereotypes are so outdated… And there's absolutely no basis in human biology for them, you know? I see it all the time with my kids-"

"You have kids?" Maxwell asked her, a hint of panic in his eyes.

Mari Jo chuckled. "No. I'm a pre-K teacher. I meant my students."

"Oh!" Maxwell let out a visible sigh of relief.

"Anyway, kids have no notion of what's considered 'femenine' or 'masculine'. It's the adults who impose gender roles on different toys and activities, like toy cars are for boys and dolls are for girls. But when my kids come into my room, they play with whatever they want, gender rules be damned. So if my boys can play with dolls and my girls can play with toy cars, Drake, Jaime and Mr. Myers can get their nails done." Mari Jo finished.

"Hells yeah!" Maxwell shouted.

"Well said." Liam nodded.

"María José González for President, 2060!" Hayley cheered.

Everyone cheered or laughed. Mari Jo simply rolled her eyes.

"Milla, what are you gonna get?" Hana asked.

"I was thinking of glitter on my ring finger? Today is a high pressure day… this way Drake'll have a sparkly landing stip so he knows exactly where the ring goes." Myers gave me a teasing smirk, and stuck her tongue out.

"Milla, you beautiful genius." Maxwell bowed to her.

"You do know my brother." Savannah teased.

"Haha, very funny. Laugh it up." I rolled my eyes.

"I'm thinking cobalt for Merlin and periwinkle for Morgana…" Penelope mused, looking at her dogs. "You're right, indigo would suit Merlin better."

"I'd love a french manicure, please." Julia told her attendant.

"Ooh, that sounds lovely. I'll have the same." Wendy nodded to hers.

Both women looked at each other, offering tentative smiles.

"Aw, look at you both getting along!" Myers yelled. "It truly must be my special day."

Both Julia and Wendy rolled their eyes at her.

"Yes, well, enjoy it, young lady." Julia told her.

A bit of silence descended through the room as everyone relaxed. The attendant finished with my hands and moved to do my feet. I had to admit I was feeling pretty relaxed after soaking my feet...

"This is amazing… and it's only the start of what promises to be an incredible day." Kiara commented.

"It's true. We have a lot to look forward to." I shot Myers a tender look.

"Mmhmm… It's still hard to believe the day is actually here. I can't wait to celebrate with everyone. I want to dance the night away in honor of me and Drake!" Myers grinned.

"We have definitely earned a celebration after everything we've been through." I nodded.

"One without any clouds hanging over our heads."

"It'll be the greatest party Cordonia's ever seen." Maxwell cheered.

Soon we were all finished, thanking the spa workers as they cleaned up.

"Well, Drake… what did you think of your first mani-pedi?" Myers asked.

"It wasn't so bad. I'd honestly do it again just for the foot massage." I admitted.

"It seems we have a convert on our hands." Liam teased.

Jaime cleared his throat. "Make that two." He mumbled under his breath.

"What? I can't hear you!" Bryan teased.

Jaime sighed. "I said… make it two."

"Yay!" Myers clapped. "Dad?"

"It was okay." Victor shrugged.

"I'll take it!" Myers grinned. "Well, I think the morning has officially turned into afternoon… meaning us girls should get going to the boutique. It's already past 2. We have about three or four hours of hair and make-up ahead of us."

My jaw dropped. "What the hell are you gonna be doing that's gonna take four hours?"

Myers chuckled wryly. "The ancient and painful art of beautification… trust me, you're better off not knowing. But thank you all so much for making this morning special. It means the world to me."

"We couldn't have it any other way." Hana moved to hug Myers.

"Our Milla has to have the most spectacular wedding day of all tiiiiime!" Maxwell cheered, joining the hug.

"Good luck today, kid." Jaime moved to hug Myers as she released Maxwell and Hana.

"We'll see you in the cathedral." Daniel also hugged her.

"Have fun!" Jacob was next.

"Thanks, Jacob." Myers hugged him tightly.

Armando also stepped up. "Have fun with the girls, Camilita. I look forward to seeing you walking down the aisle."

Myers nodded, smiling softly. "Thank you Armando."

She initiated the hug, slowly, tentatively. Armando let her take it at her own pace, hugging her back warmly before stepping back. I looked to Julia to see she was smiling widely at the two of them.

Finally, Myers' dad stepped up. He looked at his daughter warmly, proudly, and with a hint of… sadness. Myers practically jumped on him, hugging him tightly. Her dad hugged her back just as tight, holding onto her for a bit before letting her go.

"I'll, uh…" Victor cleared his throat. "I will meet you at the cathedral."

"Thanks, Dad."

Soon, most of the men had cleared the room, except for me, Liam and Maxwell.

"Come on, what're you boys waiting for? Shoo!" Wendy waved her hands at us.

"You'll be spending your lifetime with her, Drake. I think you can leave her alone for a few hours." My mom added with a teasing tone.

"Actually, could we speak to Milla alone please? We'll meet you in the main hall." Hana asked them.

"Oh, sure dear." Wendy nodded.

"Kiara, can you show everyone there, please?" Myers asked.

"Oui. This way, everyone. Mrs. Walker, Mrs. Myers, Mrs. Sánchez." Kiara led them away, with Myers mouthing a silent 'thank you'.

"Before you think the pampering is over, we've got one last surprise for you." Maxwell grinned, touching the tips of his fingers together.

"You guys spoil me too much. Alright, show me the magic." Myers smiled indulgently at him.

"What we have is better than magic, and that's saying something coming from me." Maxwell was practically jumping. He opened the door, waving to a pair of palace staff, who were carrying over our wrapped presents.

"Gifts?" Myers' eyes widened.

"Not just any gifts." Liam shot her a charming smile. "These ones are for a time-honored wedding tradition."

"You know, something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue? Well, we've got you covered." I told her.

"And it's the perfect excuse to give you nice things." Hana added.

Maxwell took his gift, a long wrapped package, and kneeled in front of Myers, offering it to her with outstretched arms. "I offer thee 'something old'."

Myers unwrapped it and pulled out a gleaming sword with a giant, heart-shaped ruby on the elaborate hilt.

"Watch it, it's still pretty sharp!" Maxwell told her.

"Oh… my… god. Please tell me this has a good story behind it. Please tell me this has a good story behind it!" Myers looked at the sword with shining, wondrous eyes. "I mean, I'm not saying this has to have been pulled from the stone, but I'd be disappointed if it didn't have some piece of Cordonian history associated with it." She gasped. "Is it… is it Kenna Rys' sword?"

Liam chuckled. "I'm afraid that one is safely stored in the castle armory."

"Aw…" Myers pouted.

"But do not despair!" Maxwell waved his fingers. "Centuries ago, a king-regent called Hunter Fierro used the sword to protect his love, Queen Elena Rosario from the threat of mighty assassins."

"Wait, Elena Rosario? Not Rhys?" Myers furrowed her eyebrows.

Liam's eyes lit up. "It was during a very short Regency Era of Cordonian history in the year 1600. After the assassination of Queen Kendra Rhys, who was believed to have no biological heirs, King-Regent Hunter Fierro ruled briefly, while the nobles of the era had to choose a new royal line from the existing noble houses. After a tense conclave, the newest noble house, House Rosario, was chosen. Its head of house, Elena Rosario, assumed the throne." He chuckled. "You actually have a lot in common with her. She was a commoner, a scribe at the royal library, and her sister was head of house. However, after said sister was poisoned, Elena had to step up as head and at court."

"How have I never heard of this before?!" Myers looked back at the sword in wonder.

"Wait, there's more!" Maxwell shouted. "After Elena assumed the throne, not everyone was happy, and some noble houses-"

"House Vescovi and House Fierro…" Liam interrupted.

"Yeah, them." Maxwell continued, only to be interrupted again by Myers.

"Wait, wasn't Hunter a Fierro? Why would he oppose Elena if he was in love with her?"

"It was actually his father, Damon Fierro, who opposed Elena. He didn't like that she was of common blood, even after she had ascended to noble status." Liam answered.

"But Hunter fell in love with her anyway…" Myers' eyes grew dreamy, and she actually sighed.

"Exactly." Liam chuckled.

Maxwell waved his hand dismissively. "Yes, yes, forbidden love, so romantic. Anyway, they weren't too happy to see a former commoner ascend the throne-"

"Ugh, typical." Myers groaned.

"Right? So they threatened civil war." Maxwell nodded.

Liam continued. "But Elena, being known for her intelligence and cunning-"

"Are you telling the story or am I?" Maxwell snapped at him.

"Ah. My apologies." Liam grinned with a hint of embarrassment.

"Anyway, turns out Elena's aunt was Queen Kendra's brother's mistress and had given birth to his son. But their wetnurse had switched those babies at birth-"

"Wait, what babies?" Myers asked.

"Elena and her aunt's baby, Fabien."

"Wait, is it the same Fabien…?" Myers looked at Liam.

He nodded. "It's the same Fabien."

"He was Elena's aunt's baby with Queen Kendra's brother." Myers nodded, as if trying to make sure she got all the information right. "And his wetnurse had switched Elena and Fabien at birth? So Elena was actually the wetnurse's baby?"

"You got it! So Elena found Fabien, and since he was the last Rhys alive, she abdicated the throne for him to prevent civil war!" Maxwell yelled.

"May I just add that in return, Fabien gifted Duchy Valtoria to House Rosario in thanks for all Elena had done for him and Cordonia?" Liam asked, grinning.

"Duchy Valtoria? My Duchy Valtoria?" Myers' jaw dropped.

"Your Duchy Valtoria indeed." Liam nodded.

"So House Rosario's sigil was a phoenix?"

Liam frowned thoughtfully. "Actually, I think it was a fox. After House Rosario died out in the late 1800's, the next Duke of Valtoria, Joseph Hastings, installed his house's sigil, which was the phoenix. He believed he was descended from the ancient fire tribes of the Valtoria mountains."

"As in Sei's tribe from the Crown and the Flame?" Myers asked.

"Yes, those fire tribes." Liam laughed.

"Wow… that was one hell of a story." Myers nodded. "Just one question. If the sword was Hunter Fierro's, then why do you have it, Maxwell?"

"Oh!" Maxwell put a finger to his chin thoughtfully. "Well, I think after Fabien assumed the throne, Elena married Hunter, and then my ancestor, Percival Beaumont married her sister-"

"Is this the same sister that was poisoned? She didn't die?" Myers asked.

"No, she got better." Maxwell shrugged. "Anyway, Hunter gifted the sword to Percival as a wedding gift. So in a way, I'm returning the blade to its rightful owner!"

"Best. Present. Ever." Myers hugged the hilt of the sword to her chest carefully.

"But you haven't even seen the others yet." Hana pointed out.

"Sorry, it's just that… this beautiful sword in my hands is a real piece of Cordonian history!" Myers turned to Liam. "I can't believe you never told me about Elena Rosario though! How could you mention Fabien, but not the woman who put him on the throne?"

Liam laughed. "I'm sorry. It was such a brief period in history. She only ruled for a month…"

"But she sounds so interesting! I'm definitely researching her after… everything." Myers grinned.

"I'd recommend the Royal library, and I can grant you access to the Royal Archives as well…" Liam smiled indulgently at her.

Myers gasped. "Oh my god, what's in the Royal Archives? Please tell me it's her journal or a diary or something with a first-hand account of her story…"

"Close…" Liam grinned impishly, but remained silent.

"Tell meeeeeee!" Myers whined like a toddler.

"It's Hunter Fierro's journal. With entries dating from 1598 to 1611."

Myers literally screamed and jumped with excitement.

Liam smiled indulgently at her. "It was actually this journal that allowed historians to gain more knowledge and insight into that brief Regency Era of Cordonia's history, as well as the early years of Fabien's reign. Before his journal was recovered, we had very little knowledge of the time. Admittedly there are certain chronicles that border on the fantastical… For example, according to Hunter, that sword was broken in half by an assassin's impenetrable magical armor, and was re-sharpened with the 'warrior stone'..."

"The warrior stone was House Beaumont's magical charm, said to be able to magically sharpen any blade that touched it!" Maxwell added.

"But we've never found said House Charm, nor any of the other charms that supposedly belonged to the other noble houses." Liam continued. "In addition to that, there are other entries that are rather… explicit... But besides all of that, the entries have been regarded as accurate."

"Wait, what do you mean 'explicit'?" Hana asked.

Liam visibly blushed. He cleared his throat. "Well, Hunter was apparently an artist of sorts…"

"Oh my god, if it's what I think it is…" Myers pressed a hand to her mouth.

"... and there are, ahem, several portraits of Elena in… compromising positions." Liam finished.

"Oh." Hana's jaw dropped.

"As in… the Renaissance version of nudes?" Maxwell asked. "Did Elena ask him to draw her like one of his Cordonian girls?"

"I'm so happy right now." Myers shook her head slightly, smiling widely. "You have to let me borrow it. Please? Pretty please with a Cordonian Ruby on top?" Myers leveled her best puppy eyes at Liam.

He laughed. "Of course, Camilla. But perhaps after your wedding and your honeymoon?"

"Thank god. Wouldn't want to spend my honeymoon in a library." I shook my head playfully.

"Even with me? It could be fun." Myers winked at me. "You, me, books as far as the eye can see, and a historical account of love, betrayal and politics? Think about it."

"Hard pass, Myers."

"Aww, you're no fun." She pouted.

"Well, while that tale was certainly… entertaining, shall we get on with the gifts?" Hana suggested.

"Aww, yes of course. I'm sorry, Hana. I got carried away." Myers apologized, before moving to give Maxwell a hug. "Thanks so much, Maxwell. I love the sword so much."

"I was thinking you guys can use it to cut the cake!" Maxwell hugged her back.

"That makes too much sense coming from you." I told him.

"I am known for my flawless logic." He grinned at me.

"Hah. Sure."

Myers gasped, pressing the sword close to her chest. "I am not using Hunter Fierro's sword to cut the cake! No, this is going to be placed on a mantle on top of my fireplace or something like that." She placed it reverently on the waiting hands of a servant. "Thank you." She told the young man receiving it.

"But, aww…" Maxwell pouted.

Liam cleared his throat. "We were getting back to the presents?"

"Ah. Right." Myers laughed.

"And with that thought in mind… Something new." Liam gave Myers his present.

Myers opened it curiously, and took out… a jeweled apple?

Myers' jaw fell to the floor. "It's… a literal Cordonian Ruby."

Liam nodded. "No matter where your life and travels take you, you'll always have it to remind you of both of your homes."

"Aww, thank you. It's beautiful, I love it." Myers clutched the ruby close to her chest and gave Liam a hug. "I'll treasure it as much as I treasure Cordonia as my home."

"I know you will." Liam told her.

They parted and I stepped up. I rubbed the back of my neck, feeling kind of awkward that I'd have to follow Liam and his giant apple ruby.

Myers smiled warmly at me.

"It's not exactly a giant gem," I told her, prompting her to roll her eyes. "But… here." I placed my tiny box in her hands.

I watched anxiously as she opened the box and pulled out my dad's pocket watch, shooting me a questioning look.

"This pocket watch was my dad's." I explained, and her gaze softened immediately. "He got it from King Constantine the first time he saved the king's life. I'd like you to carry it today as your 'something borrowed'. Hopefully, one day… Our kids will wear it too."

"Drake…" She whispered, before damn near barreling into me for a hug. "Thank you so much for trusting me with this. I know how much this means to you."

I chuckled, getting choked up for some reason. "Don't worry about it. I trust you to come back with it."

"Thank you." She pressed a soft, sweet kiss to my lips. "And when the time's… right, I can't wait to pass this tradition on to our kids." She laughed. "We'll break out our best old person voice and tell them its meaning. 'You see, children, this pocket watch symbolizes…' Actually what does it symbolize?"

I shrugged. "I see it as the passage of time that's limited and precious. Every second that ticks by is a finite second spent doing something. So, knowing that, we should only spend time with people and things precious to us, instead of trying to do what others expect of us. I'm lucky because I know every second spent with you, Myers, was time well spent."

Myers hugged me again, tighter this time. "Aww, Drake. I'm glad for all the time we've spent together. I look forward to spending the rest of my life's time with you."

"That's all I can ask for."

Myers leaned in closer, lowering her voice to a whisper. "And can I say how sexy you are when you get all philosophical? Please, talk to me about the inevitable passage of time, baby."

That actually pulled a hearty laugh out of me, and Myers laughed with me. "I love you."

"Love you too."

After a quick kiss, I stepped back, and Hana stepped forward.

"Anyone else taking bets for how badly we're about to be one-upped?" Maxwell asked jokingly.

Liam shook his head. "I won't enter that game."

"Says the man with the apple-sized gemstone." I shot him a teasing smirk. "Anyway, the man with the historical sword shouldn't be too worried either."

"Nor should the man with the priceless, meaningful family heirloom." Liam shot back.

"Ssh! Stop with the pissing contest, I loved all your gifts the same!" Myers glared playfully at us, before turning back to Hana.

Hana laughed lightly, covering her mouth with her hand, before handing Myers her box. "I wanted to find you the best gift for the wedding. I hope you like them."

Myers opened them, and pulled out a pair of light blue shoes. Her eyes widened as she turned one of the shoes upside down, looking at it from different directions.

"They're custom-designed, so they're as one-of-a-kind as you are."

"Hana, they're gorgeous! They look like they're straight out of a fairytale!"

"I'm glad you like them. I might've taken some inspiration from Cinderella, so in a way, they are. They'll only perfectly fit your feet, after all."

"You really know how to make a girl feel like a fairytale princess." Myers pulled her into a hug.

"I do my best."

"I'm not gonna lie, they're so pretty, I'm almost afraid to wear them. Almost." Myers said, taking off her shoes to try the blue ones on. "Oh my god, they're so comfortable! Comfortable. Heels. For my wedding. Hana, they're perfect, thank you so much!"

"Hehe, you're welcome, Milla."

Myers turned to all of us. "Thank you all for all the gifts, you guys! I have the best friends ever."

"Aww, we think you're the best too, Milla." Maxwell winked at her.

"None of us would be here without you." Hana added.

"Okay, let's walk it back before we break out into more hugs." I said, stepping back.

"Everything we've faced together, from petty rivals to conspiracies to assassins, has brought us to this moment. It's been tough… very tough, sometimes, but I wouldn't want to trade any of it away." Myers looked at us warmly, a glimmer of tears in her eyes.

"None of us would either." Liam squeezed her shoulder slightly.

"Now, that calls for a group hug." Maxwell announced, pulling me by my collar.

"No, wait!"

Before I could escape, they all pulled me in and sandwiched me in between them all.

"We'll make it through this together." Myers said.

"Go us!" Maxwell cheered.

Suddenly, Liam's phone buzzed. We pulled apart and he looked at the screen with a rueful grin. "Ah, we've been given a friendly reminder that Madeleine's waiting for Camilla and Hana in the grand hall, and that we should be getting ready in the boutique."

"How much of that did you reword to be 'friendly'?" I asked.

"Everything except for this: 'do not be delayed by Maxwell's shenanigans'."

"Hey! I'm a free spirit and will delay us if I so choose!" Maxwell stuck his chin out defiantly and crossed his arms over his chest.

"Of course you are. But we really should get going." Myers ruffled his hair. "We've kept everyone waiting long enough."

"Wait a second, if Liam, Maxwell, Bastien and I are getting dressed in the boutique, where are you and the girls getting ready?" I asked, worry beginning to creep up on me.

"Madeleine has set up the bridal staging area in a nondescript boutique en route to the cathedral." Hana answered.

"She didn't want to risk having Ana's boutique as the bridal staging area, which was originally the plan. But the new location has been secured and a perimeter around it has been set. They should be perfectly fine." Liam assured me.

I don't like it, I thought, a bad feeling settling in my gut. But I tried to shake it off. If Liam said it's safe, then it should be safe. Bastien and Mara had been working non-stop on security. It should be safe.

"Right... let's go… suit up or something." I kissed Myers one last time, before we broke apart. "This is where we part ways. Next time we meet, you'll be walking down the aisle."

Myers nodded. "If everything goes smoothly."

I cupped her cheek. "It will." Myers nodded again, as if trying to convince herself. I lowered my voice to a whisper. "I'm still as excited for our second marriage as much as our first."

"I'm glad. But we're still celebrating on the 14th." She smiled tenderly at me.

"We can celebrate both." I ran the back of my fingers against her cheeks, marveling at her soft skin and how beautiful she looked when she blushed. "Don't keep me waiting, Myers." I gave her a quick kiss, then stepped back.

Hana cleared her throat. "Are you ready, Milla?"

"We should really get going…" Liam added.

"Going, going!" I told them, gesturing at Liam and Maxwell. "Come on."

"Good luck." Liam told the girls. "We'll see you at the cathedral."

"Uh… actually, I need to talk to Milla about something! It's… urgent?" Maxwell said, winking at me discreetly.

Myers didn't notice, and nodded. "Sure. Hana, go on without me. I'll be right there."

"Very well. Maxwell, we will be waiting for you in the boutique." Liam told him.

"Right, yeah, coming!" Maxwell waved at us.

With that, I made my way with Liam and Bastien down the hall. Bertrand was already inside, with Josephine and Bartie. They both had their backs turned to us.

"... and this here is his tuxedo." Bertrand handed Josephine a tiny black garment bag, and a tiny blue garment bag. "If something happens to it, we have a back-up tuxedo in this bag."

"Black, main. Blue, back up. Understood, Your Grace." Josephine nodded, balancing Bartie on her hip.

Bartie squealed when he saw us, stretching his arms out towards me, causing both Bertrand and Josephine to turn.

"Your Majesty, Drake!" Bertrand bowed.

"Your Majesty," Josephine curtsied. She gave me a warm smile. "Drake, happy wedding day!"

"Thank you." I moved to take Bartie from her. "Hey, Bartie. Hey."

"Your Majesty, may I present Miss Josephine Kent?" Bertrand gestured for Josephine to step forward. "She recently graduated from the University of Cordonia, and is now pursuing her Master's Degree in Early Infant Neuroscience. She has also graciously agreed to be Bartie's au pair."

"Pleasure to meet you, Ms. Kent." Liam nodded kindly towards her. "I'm certain Bartie is in good hands."

Josephine blushed slightly. "Thank you, Your Majesty." She looked at Bertrand, who nodded. "Now, I'm sure you all need to get ready for the wedding. I will be taking Bartie, and we will meet you at the cathedral."

"Yes, thank you, Josephine." Bertrand nodded.

"Can I…?" She asked me.

"Of course." I kissed Bartie goodbye, and she took him gently from me.

"Good bye! Wave goodbye, Bartie!"

"Buh-bye!" Bartie flapped his chubby little arms in an attempt to wave.

We all waved goodbye, and they left.

"Bertrand, I thought you would be going with Camilla's entourage." Liam asked.

"I am, Your Majesty. I was simply getting my tuxedo and Bartie's before we left. Now, I can trust that you'll be keeping the groom and my brother on time?" Bertrand looked around. "Wait, where's Maxwell?"

Liam chuckled. "He had some urgent business with Camilla."

"Urgent…" Bertrand sighed. "I'll go find them, send Maxwell your way, and take Camilla. By god, Madeleine must be absolutely livid."

Liam chuckled. "Very well. Thank you, Duke Bertrand."

With a bow, Bertrand left the room, damn near power-walking.

Liam chuckled behind him. "Shame the Duke of Ramsford turned down our spa invitation. Looks like he needed it."

I sighed.

Liam turned to me. "Everything okay?"

"Fine. Just… nervous, I guess."

Liam got this thoughtful gleam in his eye. "I remember… I remember your dad used to tell us something when we were nervous. What was it?"

"'Think about why you're nervous, then do something to fix it'." Bastien said, a small smirk making its way onto his face.

"That's it, precisely. So, let's take your father's advice, shall we?" Liam clapped my shoulder. "You're nervous about the ceremony. About Anton. But we've done all we can in case of an attack, and there's nothing else we can personally do."

I nodded. We'd done all we could to prepare for an attack, laid out every possible scenario, taken every possible precaution.

"So, let's focus on the wedding, shall we?" Liam walked towards a small table in the corner of the boutique, and picked up a piece of paper. "Thankfully for us, Madeleine has left a short, yet thorough wedding checklist. Let's see… breakfast? Check. Will you be cutting your hair?"

"What? No."

"Okay, then… haircuts, check. Have you shaved?"

"This morning."

"Then, check."

"Would you like to go over your speech with me?"

My eyes widened. "What speech?"

Liam's eyes widened now. "Your toast… for the ceremony. In honor of your bride…"

I slapped my hand to my face.

"Drake, how could you have forgotten your traditional groom's speech?" Bastien asked.

"I didn't know I had to write a speech!"

"Honestly, Drake…" He shook his head at me.

"Look, it's not like I go to a lot of weddings okay?"

"Okay, not to worry. We still have time." Liam tried to calm me down.

"Two hours and 48 minutes before we have to leave, to be exact." Bastien looked at his watch.

"Plenty of time to put together a proper toast." Liam agreed.

I groaned, rubbing my face. I felt I'd done so much writing the past two days… The letter was my idea, but then the vows and now the toast? How could I have forgotten the toast?

"Come on, Drake, don't get discouraged." Liam patted my shoulder, and handed me a pen and a piece of paper. "A traditional groom's speech is not that much different than writing the vows, in a way. It's a toast in honor of your bride… why you fell in love, or what you most admire in her."

"Remember to also thank every guest for coming, for the gifts, for supporting you against Anton…" Bastien suggested.

I sighed. "Fine." I set pen to paper yet again… "So, how do I start? With something for Myers or something for the guests?"

"I would suggest a small introduction thanking the court for their attendance and support, and afterwards your toast to Camilla." Liam told me.

I nodded. "And… how do I address the court?"

Liam thought about it for a second. "Distinguished guests?"

Feels a bit stuffy, but okay…

"Distinguished guests, on behalf of my wife and I, I'd like to thank you all for being here today. As you all know, these have been trying times for Cordonia, so your presence and support has been invaluable."

"How's this?" I showed the paper to Liam and Bastien.

They both read it quickly.

"That's very good, Drake."

"Very diplomatic." Liam grinned. "Now, you can toast to Camilla."

I nodded, trying to wrack my head for something that I hadn't already written to her in the vows or in my letter. And it also had to be something I felt comfortable admitting in front of 200 people.

Bastien noticed my hesitation. "What did you think of Duchess Camilla when you first met?"

I looked at Liam, and he nodded encouragingly.

"When we first met, nothing much, honestly. She was the waitress at the bar who'd been crazy enough to give Liam a midnight tour of the Statue of Liberty, and that was it."

"Yes, I recall you weren't particularly amiable to her that night." Liam chuckled.

I rolled my eyes. "You and Maxwell are never going to let me live that down, aren't ya?"

"No, I don't think so."

"Okay, what about when you got to know her?" Bastien brought us back to the matter at hand.

"When I saw her get on a plane to Cordonia with two guys she just met, I figured she was gonna be trouble. When she convinced Liam to sneak out for cronuts at midnight, I knew it for sure."

"I think you've found your opening then." Liam returned the piece of paper to me.

"When I met Myers, I knew she was going to be trouble. I just didn't realize how much." I wrote.

"Now, perhaps-" Bastien stopped mid-sentence, clearing his throat.

Liam looked at him. "It's okay, Bastien. Go on."

"I was…" Bastien's eyes darted cautiously from Liam to me. "I was going to suggest perhaps… what… attracted Drake to Duchess Camilla…"

Liam hummed thoughtfully. "That's a great suggestion."

I sighed. Myers is...

Inspiring enough to get me to write love letters and speeches.

I wrote and wrote and wrote, words seeming to pour out from me. I even managed to sprinkle some light humor along the way. After a while, I had written a pretty respectable speech, if I said so myself.

I handed it to Liam and Bastien, and watched their eyes grow with surprise.

"Drake, this is…"

"Amazing. Duchess Camilla will be very happy." Bastien clapped my shoulder.

"Yeah?"

"Yes. I'm proud of you, son."

I felt the blush creeping up on my cheeks, and coughed. "Thanks, Bastien."

"It's very thoughtful, Drake. Camilla will love it." Liam handed it back to me.

"What will she love?" Maxwell strutted inside. "Besides Drake here?"

I cleared my throat. "My wedding toast."

"Oooh, can I read it?!"

I handed him the piece of paper, and watched as he nodded, aww'd and laughed as he read it. "It's really good!"

"Thanks." I took the paper back, folding it neatly.

Liam cleared his throat, checking something off Madeleine's list. "So… Traditional Groom's Speech… check."

I realized then that this would be a perfect time to give them their presents. We still had a couple hours before the ceremony, and I really wanted to thank them now for everything they'd done for me. I didn't want it to be a big deal during the reception, in front of the whole court. I wanted it to be something… closer, just between us.

I cleared my throat. "Wait, before we keep going with Madeleine's list… I have to do something."

I practically ran out of the boutique as Liam and Maxwell yelled after me. As soon as I got to my room, I got everyone's presents, and carried them back to the boutique. All the guys looked at me strangely as I opened the door, and set the gifts on a small table.

"What're those?" Maxwell asked.

"Your groomsmen gifts." I told him. "I figured… I wanted to do this now. Before the ceremony and the reception and everything."

I looked at each of them and noticed all of their expressions softened.

I cleared my throat. "So… Bastien," I picked up the wooden box.

"Drake?" He stepped forward.

"You've been like an uncle to me ever since that first dinner Dad brought you home." I began. He smiled at the memory.

"A cool uncle that carries weapons and teaches you kung fu!" Maxwell shouted.

I laughed. "Sorta. The cool uncle that lets you eat a whole box of cookies and stay up all night. Or that later teaches you a little martial arts to defend yourself when there's kids picking on you at school. The uncle that tries to be there for you after… after something terrible happens." I sighed. "You've been a part of my life since I was 8 years old."

He nodded. "And now I get to watch that little boy get married." He laughed, his eyes glistening a little. "It has been a privilege to watch you grow up, Drake. I'm proud of the man you've become."

"Thank you. For always being there… And this is for you."

Bastien stepped up, and gave me a tight hug, clapping my shoulder. After we parted, I handed him the box. He took a moment to admire the intricate carvings on the wood, before opening it. I watched as he picked up the knife, still in its sheath, and turned it over.

"Drake…" He murmured, running his fingers over his name and the Cordonian Crest engraved on the leather.

A second later, he unclipped the safety and pulled the knife from the sheath.

"Whoa…" I heard Maxwell say.

"Oh, Drake. It's beautiful." Bastien chuckled. He began twisting and rotating his wrist, testing the knife's weight and balance. After a couple more movements, he placed it gently back in the sheath. "Thank you, Drake."

"I'm glad you like it."

Bastien clapped my shoulder once more, before stepping back with his gift in his hand.

"Maxwell…" I began.

His hand shot up. "Here!"

I couldn't help the indulgent smirk that spread through my face. "I know we weren't that close, until this year. I know I'm always kind of an ass, or that sometimes I say things I don't mean."

"Yep, yep, and yep." He counted on his fingers.

"But even despite all that, you've always been there for me, even when I didn't know it. You helped my sister, when you didn't have to. You were the one who brought Myers into our lives… into my life. We wouldn't be here without you, Maxwell. And I know people look at us and think that I put up with you for Myers' or Liam's sake. But the truth is that it's the other way around. You put up with me. You put up with my sarcasm and my jabs, and you never take them to heart. So I just wanted to say thank you. For everything."

"Awwww! Bring it in!" He pulled me in for an enthusiastic, and incredibly warm, hug. "You know you're one of my best friends too, right?" He whispered.

"I do." I nodded, hugging just a bit tighter, before releasing him.

I handed him my present, watching intently as he opened it.

"Ohmygod!" He yelled, taking out the small pin. "It's a squid pin! Ohmygod, I love it! Thank you, thank you, thank you!" He gasped. "Can I wear it today? It matches my suit perfectly! Pleaaaaase?"

I laughed. "Yeah, that's why I'm giving it to you now. Did you, uh… did you really like it?"

"Are you kidding? I love him! I'm gonna name him Bubbles! Bubbles the blood squid." He hugged me again, and clapped my back. "Thank you, thank you, thank you!"

"Nah. Thank you. For everything."

Maxwell's eyes watered, but he nodded, pinning Bubbles to his shirt.

I turned to Liam. "Liam…"

"Drake." He told me.

"... I don't know what to say." I admitted, that simple truth earning me a chuckle. "Remember when I was playing with the taser and Jerry found me?"

"I do." He said fondly.

"I remember I didn't want to move here. I missed my house, and my room, and I wanted a dog, but we couldn't have one in the palace. That taser was the first bit of fun I'd had since we got here. But when Jerry caught me, I was sure he was gonna tell my dad. And then, you came out of nowhere and took the fault."

Liam nodded.

"We were seven. Almost twenty years, you've had my back."

"And you've had mine." He shot me a pointed look back.

"We've grown up together. We've been there for each other through thick and thin. There's nothing more to say, really, except to say you're like a brother to me."

"And you to me." He nodded, stepping forward and engulfing me in a hug before I even got a chance to give him my present.

I clapped his shoulder, and pulled back a moment later. "Anyway, this is for you." I set the small box that held the compass I'd gotten him all those weeks ago in New York in his hands.

Liam opened the box and took the compass in his own hands. "Drake…"

"You've done an amazing job as king so far. And that's because you genuinely care about your people. You care about them enough to break with tradition, to elevate a commoner to nobility, to sacrifice so much of yourself for your people. It's what makes you who you are, your endless devotion to your people. I don't want you to ever lose sight of what makes you who you are."

Liam's fingers closed around the compass and squeezed. "It's beautiful. Both the gift and the sentiment behind it. Thank you, Drake." He pressed his hand on my shoulder and squeezed, before moving to wipe a tear from the corner of his eyes with a chuckle.

I looked around the room and noticed all the guys were a little teary.

"Well… This has been… an emotional afternoon, hasn't it?" Liam sniffled.

Maxwell nodded. "I didn't expect to get so many feels!"

"Neither did I, Lord Maxwell. Neither did I." Bastien agreed.

I cleared my throat. "Well, uh… let's, uh, keep going with Madeleine's list, then."

Liam laughed. "There's only one more thing she listed, which is getting dressed."

Bastien looked at his watch. "We still have an hour and a half until we have to leave…"

"Ooh, ooh!" Maxwell shot his hand in the air. "Let's practice your first dance!"

I groaned.

"You and Camilla haven't practiced?" Liam asked, looking genuinely shocked. "Drake… have you prepared anything for this wedding?"

"We haven't exactly had much time!" I shot back.

"Well, no matter! We have time for a quick lesson!"

In less than a second, Maxwell had queued up his wedding playlist and crossed the room, quite literally sweeping me off my feet.

"What are you doing?!" I stepped back, pushing him away.

"I'm teaching you to dance!" He stepped closer again and took my hand, placing his on my shoulder.

Liam chuckled at my discomfort. "I think it's actually a good idea, Drake. You can't stick to the Cordonian Waltz steps forever."

"Exactly!" Maxwell placed my other hand on his waist. "You have to learn to at least feel the music and move on instinct! Oh, and to lead Milla. Now, move! Step, right, step, left, one, two, one two, thr-"

I tripped over my own two feet and fell on my ass.

"Drake!"

"Are you okay?" Liam moved to help me stand.

"Fine." I got up, by myself, with a grunt. I turned to Maxwell. "Is this really necessary? Myers already taught me how to waltz."

Maxwell rolled his eyes. "What did I just say? You can't repeat the same choreography forever! Besides, even if you did, you have to time those moves to the song. Come on, Drake, do it for Milla."

I looked at Liam, and he nodded. I looked at Bastien, hoping for support from at least one of my groomsmen. But even he nodded.

I sighed. The things I do for you, Myers… "Fine."

"Yay!" Maxwell clapped, before stepping towards me once again. "Now, get into the starting position."

I stepped closer, fumbling with my hands, unsure where exactly to put them.

Maxwell took them in a surprisingly firm grip. "You take Milla's hand with yours," He took my hand. "And place the other on her waist." He placed my other hand on his waist. "Remember that I'm Milla in this scenario."

Liam nearly spit out his drink, and he began laughing madly.

"Seriously?!" I shook my head at him.

"I'm sorry! God, I'm sorry... " He kept on laughing. "It's just… you should… have seen your face!"

"Okay, calm down! You're distracting my student!" Maxwell glared at Liam. "Now, you step forward, Milla steps back. Ready?"

I nodded.

"Five, six, seven, eight."

We began moving, and I began leading Maxwell around the boutique, still a bit awkwardly.

"One, two, three, four." He kept counting. "Step in… Step out."

I tried to move as he instructed me.

"Half circle to the right….Three, four… half circle to the left. Now, twirl me. Seven, eight."

I twirled him, reluctantly surprised by how seamlessly he moved.

"One, two, three, four. Twirl me again, 180 degrees this time."

I half twirled him…? Anyway he was now facing forwards as I continued to lead him. He stepped away, turning and turning on his own, before stepping forwards again.

"See what I did there?"

"Yeah, I don't think Myers is gonna know how to do that."

Maxwell grinned. "Yeah, she will. Who do you think taught her to dance?"

"Hana."

"No, I did! What did you think we were doing those few weeks after the Coronation?! I mean, Hana only taught her the Cordonian Waltz, but I'm the one who taught her everything else! Now, focus! Your footing's off beat."

I rolled my eyes, but straightened my posture and tried to focus. For Myers.

I'm doing this for Myers.

"... six, seven, eight. One, two, twirl me now. And again. And again. Now step back. Step forwards… and… how do you want to finish? A dip? A lift? Ooh d'you think you could pull off the Dirty Dancing lift?!"

"Isn't that a little too… flashy?" I rubbed the back of my neck, uncomfortable.

This was starting to feel way less like practice for a first dance with my wife, and more like practice for a performance for the court.

Maxwell looked at me for a second, his eyes unusually deep. "You're right. All right, I'm sure you and Milla can figure out the ending for yourselves. Now, from the top."

We kept practicing, until Maxwell was somewhat satisfied with my dancing. When we had about half an hour before we had to leave, the nerves began to set in.

Bastien's radio chirped. "Command, coming in from Doe Central, over."

"Command to Doe Central, report. Over."

"Agents moving out with the lone wolf's mother and the fledgling's mother and stepmother. Heading to the BC now, over."

"Copy that, Doe Central. All clear so far?"

"All clear, Command."

"Very good. Over and out."

"Over and out."

Bastien turned to us. "I assume you all heard that."

"Myers sent my mom, her mom, and stepmom early to the cathedral?" I asked.

"It's mostly for the arrival formalities." Liam explained, taking a remote and turning on the TV.

"...big day has finally arrived, and here on the CBC, you won't miss a moment." A female anchor announced.

On the screen, different live shots of the castle, the cathedral and the streets were shown gradually. What stunned me the most was that there were people everywhere. There were crowds outside of the palace, outside the cathedral, on the streets we'd be taking to get to the cathedral.

A male anchor nodded. "You certainly will not, Joan. And of course, amid all this grandeur, and the crowds, and the excitement, love is why we're here today. To celebrate the love between Duchess Camilla Myers and Mr. Drake Walker, who in one short hour from now, will marry in the intimate setting of the beautiful and historic Bossina Cathedral, just as the sun begins its descent."

I snorted at that. Sure a cathedral that can easily fit 200 guests. Very intimate.

"Of course, Bob. Now, everyone's eyes today will be on the bride and groom." Joan added. "We got a chance to see Cordonia's favorite power couple yesterday, touring the streets of our fine city."

They played different shots of Myers and I as we stepped outside Ana's boutique, or waving on the steps of the cathedral, the last shot being of us greeting the crowds, shaking hands and taking selfies with them.

"Duchess Camilla!"

"Duchess Camilla, you look beautiful!"

"Aw, thank you! What're your names?"

"A-Annie!"

"Jaime!"

"Jaime?! One of my best friend's name is Jaime!"

"No way!"

"Yes way!"

"Duchess Camilla, can we get a quick picture?"

"Of course!"

"Both of them are, of course, looking fabulous, as they walked about among the crowds, much to everyone's delight and surprise." Bob added. "Some of these people had been out on the pavement all day yesterday, just hoping to get a glimpse at the couple and they were absolutely delighted. Just listen to their cheers!"

They played a clip of an interview to several young women, a couple of them crying, their chests pressed against a metal barrier.

"She was amazing! She was just so beautiful and nice and like really real!"

"They're both sooo real, you know?! Like as a couple?"

"At one point, he, like, looked at her and she smiled at him…! We all got literal chills! It's like, you could tell they love each other so much!"

"Yes, love is in the air today indeed!" Joan agreed as the camera panned back to her. "We'll definitely be keeping a very close eye now, since members of the court and other guests began to arrive about an hour ago to the Bossina Cathedral. We expect to see the groom very soon, Mr. Drake Walker, no doubt looking very handsome, along with King Liam, his Best Man. They'll probably be arriving at the cathedral very soon."

"What's the story of Mr. Drake Walker, Joan? He's somewhat of a mystery, his name unheard of until he swept our lovely duchess off her feet!"

"Ah, well, I can answer that, Bob! Drake Walker is the son of former King's Guard Captain Jackson Walker, who unfortunately died in the line of duty almost 10 years ago. It was here, at the tender age of seven, where he met His Majesty King Liam, and the two of them became lifelong friends."

"And it was through King Liam he met Duchess Camilla?"

Joan nodded. "In a way, yes. Mr. Walker was present for His Majesty's and Duchess Camilla's meeting in New York. Insider sources say they became fast friends during the social season, where Duchess Camilla was competing for the hand of His Majesty, the King. Said friendship soon blossomed into something more, but reports are unclear as of when exactly. For all of their popularity, the couple have been surprisingly private with the details of their love affair."

I rolled my eyes, running a hand through my hair. Even though I'd seen firsthand the effect Myers has on the crowds, and how popular she is… I wasn't used to having reporters talk about us or analyze us on live tv.

Bob nodded, pursing his lips. "That's unfortunate, really, given as to ho- Oh! This just in! On the screen there, you can see Queen Mother Regina, along with Mr. Walker's mother and Duchess Camilla's mother and stepmother, arriving at the cathedral!"

True enough, a live shot of the cathedral steps, covered in an impossibly long red carpet, was superimposed on the screen. Two 1970's Rolls Royce Phantom 6 pulled up, flanked in the front and the back by sleek black SUV's. Escorts rushed to open the doors of the cars, and Regina stepped off the first one, while Julia, Wendy and my mom stepped out of the second one. Mom, Julia, and Wendy seemed a little taken aback by the crowds, but they tried to follow Regina, as the Queen Mother smiled and waved politely.

Bob's voice sounded over the close-ups of Julia and Wendy."So there we have the mother, or er… mothers of the bride. It must be quite a surreal day for them both, in many ways!"

"Definitely, Bob. They must be very proud, even overjoyed. But I imagine they're also pinching themselves, because this is just… just… an experience that nobody can really prepare for, isn't it?"

"Yes, definitely. If you think about it, a week ago they were both at their homes in New Jersey, and then yesterday they're having dinner with the King and the Queen Mother… and today, they're being watched by over a billion people. And despite the nerves and the excitement, it must be a wonderful day for them, to watch their daughter getting married."

"I imagine Mrs. Walker must be feeling proud and excited too. To watch her only son get married, and to an amazing woman no less."

"Indeed, Joan. Reports from the palace have already confirmed that Mrs. Walker has taken a liking to Duchess Camilla, and has been heard saying that the duchess is 'a wonderfully kind girl' and she's 'very happy her son found her'.

I snorted. Mom sounds nothing like that. She'd never say 'wonderfully kind'. What a load of bull.

From the corner of the room, Maxwell laughed, typing furiously on his phone.

"What're you laughing about?" I asked.

His eyes widened, and he nearly dropped his phone. "What, who, me? Nothin'!"

I narrowed my eyes at him. "Who're you talking to?"

"Oh, um… nobody, I mean, not nobody… Mari Jo just sent me a pic of the girls at the staging area… But you can't see it! You can't see the bride before the ceremony!"

"Mari Jo, huh?" I couldn't help the corners of my lips twitching.

"You seemed to get along at the party." Liam commented with an impish grin.

"Uh, yeah, she's uh… she's pretty cool." Maxwell shrugged, but none of us missed the blush creeping up on his neck.

"Yes, she seems very 'cool'." Liam nodded attentively, still grinning.

"Yep, yep, she is! Anyway, look at the time, we have to leave in, like, 20 minutes! I'm gonna go get dressed!" Maxwell took his garment bag and practically bolted inside the changing room.

Liam and I looked at each other, before sharing a laugh. I turned the TV off, and we all went to get our respective garment bags.

A moment later, Maxwell came out in a classy silver suit, with a dark purple bow tie and matching pocket-square. He also pinned the blood-squid pin I'd gotten him to the lapel of his suit. "The name's Beaumont. Maxwell Beaumont."

I chuckled. "You look great."

"Oh, I know! I feel like I should totally start a fashion blog!" Maxwell grinned, shooting me some finger guns.

"I will also be getting dressed now." Bastien cleared his throat before also disappearing into the changing room. A few minutes later, he came out in a sleek black suit, and a sash that showcased his many medals.

"Whoa… Bastien looks hot!" Maxwell exclaimed.

Liam chuckled. "You look great, Bastien."

Bastien blushed, but cleared his throat. "Ahem. Thank you, Your Majesty. Lord Maxwell."

Liam nodded. "I suppose it's my turn." He stepped out of the room a moment later in a white suit with gold detailing, the Cordonian crest on one side of his chest, and a light blue sash displaying two medals on the other.

"Prince Charming has arrived!" Maxwell cheered.

Liam laughed. "Perhaps King Charming in this instance."

"Eh… doesn't have the same ring to it." Maxwell shrugged.

"I guess the title doesn't really matter as long as it looks good." Liam shrugged.

Then, all three men turned to stare in my direction. I sighed. "I guess it's my turn."

I took my new suit, and stepped inside. I put it on, quicker than I had yesterday, and looked at myself in the mirror. Not bad… With a suppressed sigh, I stepped outside once more.

The boys looked at me and they all nodded.

"You look great, Drake. Very dashing." Liam told me.

"I don't think I've ever seen you so comfortable in a suit!" Maxwell told me.

"Yeah, you're right. This feels pretty great." I told him.

"Very well then gentlemen. Time to go." Bastien nodded and began shuffling us out. "Attention all units. Moving with the Lion, the Lone Wolf and the Dancing Kraken. En route to BC now." His radio chirped.

Ushers followed us through the halls, opening the doors to another vintage Rolls Royce. Bastien got in the driver's seat, with Maxwell riding shotgun. Liam and I sat in the back seat. Two Range Rovers, one in front, the other behind our car, made our way out of the palace with us.

We could hear the crowd cheering before we'd even reached the gates. But when we did, the crowd seemed to cheer even louder.

"Alright, smile and wave, everybody!" Maxwell turned back to look at me. "And by everybody, I mean you, Drake."

I rolled my eyes, but smiled nonetheless. I lifted my hand and waved at the crowds from my window.

"How long do I have to wave for?" I asked.

"For the whole ride." Liam answered, not looking away from the crowds, flashing them his signature grin.

"Wait, are you serious?!" It didn't help that Bastien was driving so slow.

"These people came out here to see you, Drake. Some of them even camped out all night to hold their spots." Liam told me.

I sighed, but kept smiling and waving.

The streets were absolutely filled with people, all of them smudged together behind the barricades. Seeing it on TV was not the same as seeing it in person. The Cordonian flag waved from every lamppost, as well as several citizens were also waving flags as our car rode by. In front of the barricade, soldiers from the Royal Navy saluted as we drove by, dressed in their formal blue suits.

After what felt like an eternity, we finally arrived at the Bossina Cathedral. Ushers were already waiting for us there.

"Alright. According to Countess Madeleine's specific instructions, I will get out first, then Lord Maxwell, His Majesty, and finally, you, Drake." Bastien told us.

He then opened the car door and the cheering seemed to intensify. I was honestly shocked by how much the car windows had muffled the sound.

After Bastien got out, Maxwell followed, waving excitedly to the crowd. "Yes, yes, we're here, fellow citizens! Agent Breakdance and company!"

Liam chuckled, before his door was opened. "Showtime, Drake. Are you ready?"

I sighed. "As I'll ever be."

Liam nodded, and stepped out of the car.

"King Liam!"

"We love you, King Liam!"

The crowd roared.

Finally, my door opened. This was it.

I got out, and was nearly blown away by the thunderous roars of the crowd.

"Drake!"

"The groom!"

"Duke Drake! Duke Drake!"

I raised a hand, flashing the crowd a smile. Or… I hoped it was a smile and not a grimace.

Liam nodded towards the red carpet, and we began walking towards the imposing cathedral's entrance.

Once inside, I blinked as my eyes tried to adjust from the sunlight to the cathedral's dimmer atmosphere. We were greeted by several attendants, before making our way down the long aisle. The cathedral had been decorated with lavish flowers on every pew, and on the floor they had delicately strewn red rose petals. Finally, the stained glass windows reflected a myriad of colors everywhere, bathing the cathedral with an ethereal glow.

On the way, I had to greet and shake hands with the Ebrims, the Therons, the Amaranths, the nobles from our duchy… On and on, we went.

Finally, in the front pews, were our families and friends.

"Drake. Congratulations on this day. I'm quite honored to be here, and to officiate your wedding." Regina greeted me, offering her hand.

I bowed and kissed it. "Thank you, Your Majesty."

"Drake! Don't you look handsome!" Wendy greeted me with a quick hug.

"Thank you, Wendy."

Next to her, Myers' dad greeted me with a firm shake. "Drake."

"Victor."

"Very handsome indeed. Milla will be very happy when she sees you." Julia pressed a kiss to both my cheeks.

"I for one want to see the look on his face when he sees her." My mom chuckled as she moved to hug me, carefully balancing Bartie on her hip. "Hello again, sweet heart."

"Hey, mom."

"So, how're you feeling, Drake?" Jacob clapped my shoulder.

"You look great, by the way." Daniel added.

"Thanks. Uh… I'm okay. A little nervous."

"Yep that's pretty normal. It'll fade though, when you see your bride walking down that aisle…" Jaime got this soft look in his eye, and I knew he was suddenly far away from here, at a completely different wedding.

"Truer words could not be spoken." Armando agreed, stepping forwards to shake my hand.

Suddenly, Bastien's radio chirped. "Command, coming in from Doe Central, over."

"Doe Central, I read you loud and clear. Over." He stepped away, but not before all of us in the front row heard the response.

"Command, perimeter had been breached. Repeat, perimeter had been breached. Requesting immediate assistance, over!"

"What?!" My heart began to beat faster and faster, thundering in my ear.

'Perimeter breached'? But that meant…

MYERS!